


Side Effects

by Gremlin_In_Blue



Category: LEGO Monkie Kid
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father Figures, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Immortality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:55:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27448210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gremlin_In_Blue/pseuds/Gremlin_In_Blue
Summary: If the kid were to ever find out what he had done, Wukong knows that Mk would grow to hate and resent him. Until then, he can't help but be selfish.
Comments: 16
Kudos: 108





	Side Effects

**Author's Note:**

> Somebody made an awesome podfic! Go give them some love for their great job on it! :D
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/27582941

Wukong chopped the peach into slices, not looking up as he heard his successor step into the house. When he heard the sniffling and quiet, raspy breaths, on the other hand, the monkey king looked up, his eyes going wide at his successor's torn expression.

"Mk-" he put the knife down, wiped his paws off on his pants- "what's wrong, bud, what happened?"

Mk wiped at his eyes, the boy reaching into the bag of peaches on the counter. The human peeled off the sticker and bit into the peach, mouth quivering as he sniffed.

Wukong reached over and wiped away the tears.

"Hey, chin up, bud, it's okay," Wukong said. "What's wrong?"

Mk stared at him for a long moment. Tears watered the boy's eyes, and dripped down his face. 

Wukong reached out and wiped them away, offering the kid what he hoped came across as a reassuring smile.

"You can tell me," he promised. "Maybe I can help."

"I'm not getting older," Mk rasped. "Everybody's growing older, and I'm not- I'm not getting older."

Wukong's heart plummeted in his chest, shooting up to his throat and dropping straight back down into his gut.

"Oh, kiddo," he said. "Come here."

The boy lunged towards him, pouncing upon him and wrapping his arms around Wukong, already sobbing into the monkie's chest. 

He sat down against the wall, bringing his kid down with him. Wukong rubbed gentle circles into the human's back, not speaking as Mk cried.

It was a long while before his successor started to quiet, more and more before only a sparse few sniffles made their way into his now drenched fur.

"It must be a side effect of my power," Wukong whispered. "I'm sorry."

Mk's fingers clenched into fists against Wukong's armor. The boy looked up at him, eyes red and puffy.

"They're all gonna get older and older," he said. "And I…"

"Hey-" Wukong pulled the kid closer, one hand in the boy's hair, keeping his head in the crook of the monkie's neck where he wouldn't be able to see the guilt on the monkie's face- "it's going to be okay, bud. You'll always have me. I'll always be here."

"B-but Mei, a-and Pigsy and Tang and S-" 

"Shh," Wukong said. "It's okay. That's not for a long, long time still, and you will always have me, Mk. I will always be here for you."

The boy sniffed, trembling in his arms.

"Promise?"

"I promise," Wukong said. "How about a slice of peach pie?"

The teen nodded, finally pulling away after a moment. 

The two stood and brushed themselves off, and Wukong returned to his work, this time with the boy he'd taken under his wing at his side.

The two worked mostly in peaceful silence, Wukong starting up conversation again once Mk seemed to get into a lighter mood. It was peaceful. Wukong couldn't help but smile.

They spent the afternoon talking, mostly Wukong 'mhm'ing at the boy's latest 'fandom' obsession, and pretending not to notice the bag of peaches shrinking as the kid sneaked out one after another to munch on while they worked. Mk seemed happy enough to chatter, and Wukong knew that he was happy enough to listen.

"You'll have to share the recipe-" Mk told him when they finally were able to eat the fruit of their work- "I don't know anybody who can make peach pie like you can, Monkey King."

"I've had a long time to perfect it-" Wukong waved it off- "now whipped cream- whipped cream I just can't get right yet."

"Where do you get the peaches anyways?" Mk asked. "They're always so good!"

"Some store in a city to the west," Wukong said. "It's been around for a long time. The peaches are always to di- er, to cry for."

"I'll say," Mk said. "I thought the peaches from the grocer at home were good, but these are always so much better!"

From there, the conversation fell from peach pie talk to a few quick lessons before his kid had to head off, and Wukong was grateful for the subject change. He watched Mk off, for a moment, before returning inside. It seemed emptier, now that he was alone.

Wukong let his smile drop away, guilt eating at him as he pulled another bag of peaches from the fridge.

Silently, the Monkey King sat down at his table for his guilty work. One by one, he peeled off the stickers, ate the peaches, and placed the stickers onto immortal peaches.

The bag now replaced with immortal peaches, he set it on the counter for Mk's visit tomorrow.

It was for the best, he told himself. Besides, he'll always be here. Always be here for his kid. It's for Mk's own good. 

"It's for the best," he told his empty home.

It's for you, his mind whispered. It's for you. 


End file.
